National Republican., 1887-03-12
Tho Living Beecher.


To-day all that was mortal of Henry
Ward Btecher will be laid away. The
spirit, the immortal part in his creation,
has passed from our ken. Some men achieve
an Immortality for themselves in addition
TO that which God gave. The immortality
OF fame, the name that, like the spirit, never
dies. Mr.. Beecher was one Of these. So
lorg as the world lasts go long will Henry
Ward Beecher live. An earthquake might
tomorrow destroy the spot where he lies,
as slime, war, flood, and fire" have des.
olated the plains of Illium, but Troy still
lives. We stand upon the banks of the
scamander and see Achilles and Hector,
Greek and Trojan, pass before us In shining
armor, as blind old Homer sang of them in
the cities Of Greece thirty centuries ago.
These may all be the myths of imagina-
tion; but whether realities or myths they
will live till time shall be no more.
Mr.. Beecher, living or dead, is a reality,
and, like Homer's heroes, will live on and
on while language lasts. Future ages will
see him as we see him. His wonderful per.
sonality will impress them as 1t has i'm
pressed us; they will see his immense phys!-
cal vitality, his exquisitely emotional tenn
perament, his creative and dramatic power,
his pathos and humor, his wonderful and
unsurpassed gift Of speech, just as we see
the naughty Achilles, the crafty Ulysses,
the mighty Ajax.
This immortality Beecher created for
himself, and through 1t he remains with us
la,v I, Infn . ",
which bound body and soul together was
severed.
The world will pass no harsh judgment
upon Mr.. Beecher. The woof OF his life
was composed Of many-colored threads.
He was generous as good fairy, transpar-
ent as the finest crystal, bold as knight
errant, aggressive as a mountain torrent,
quick as the lightning bolt, tender
as mother to her child, master of
every faculty needful to command human
passion, he feared nothing, trusted to him
self, and bore no malice. Composed thus,
his wonderful vitality enabled him to ac-
complish wonderful WORK both as preacher
and politician, and the picture he drew OF
himself in those characters remains q living
reality which time cannot deface.
1t would be difficult question for
any to decide as to whether Mr.. Beeeher
earned greater fame as politician or q
preacher. He probably exerted a wider in-
fuence than any other man IN securing the
abolition Of slavery, and perhaps In con-
trolling English opinion during the war Of the
rebellion, thus establishing his fame 10 the
one, while as preacher he liberalized
Christianity as no other mau has done.
What was created OF him rests at last.
What he made Of himself is still living.
ssssThe above was just written when we re-
ceiyCd the following letter and inclosure
from prominent Republican of this city
EoiToR NATIONAL REpuDIIcAS take the
liberty otsending for your notice a copy of the
Birmingham (Ala) Chronicle of date March the
sth, which contains quite remarkable editor
ial on the character OF the late Henry Ward
Beecher. You may not agree with me in the
opinion that it is remarkable, emauating as 1t
Goes from the holbed of rebellion and seces-
sion, but as All evidence of peaceful reconstruc
tiOn and brotherly love in the new south" 1;
may be interesting reading for the good pioui
Nugwumps and even the softhearted Republi-
cans of the north. behold how sweet It is for
brethren to dwell together in unity" Truly
yours, REPUBLICAN.
From the Birmingham (Ala.) Chronicle OF
March 8.
BERCHER DEAD.
This morning, at $3.50 clock, Henry Ward
Beecherdled. II has been known since Fri
day that his death was only question O
hours No man ever lived who had more enc
mics and more friends than this great man.
He came of noted family, every mombsr of
which was talented. Henry Ward Beecher
became known first as the brother of Harriet
Beecber stowe, and when lie became known
he was strong enough to become famous by his
own exertions. 1t takes opportunity to be-
come great, and BeeCher rose on that wave of
fanaticism~ which convulsed our nation and
Daptsed 1t with the blood of brothers
lie was bitter and pronounced partisan,
and there was no limit to his hate. He hated
southern men and he hated southern women,
and be poured out his hatred over the sacred
pulpit when he pretended to preach the holy
gospel. He mingled his curses on the south
with his very prayers His writings are full of
his hate for us.
With Greeley and Sumner and Garrison he
has gone from among men. To-day the ven-
cradle old man, at his quiet home on the Gulf
coast, will read the notices of the death Of this,
the last Of the great minds which conspired to
bring on that civil war with all its horrors
God has spared Jefferson Davis to read these
obituary notices as some recompense for wha.
he has suffered.
The south has no tears for Henry Ward
Boccher. No kind words OF his ever cheered
our people, It was hate for hate while he
lived, but we have no hatred for the dead.
When human being approaches the gre It
judgment we feel that there is something that
connects our cause with his, and on that ocaa-
sion we make petition for mercy to all. No
good man ever prays for Gods vengeance ON a
fellow man. We recognize Mr.. Beecher's great
abilities, and we willingly admit that he may
have been better than we thought. II GOD
foTgves his sins, the south will forgive his
wrong doing. Agreat enemy is dead. May he
rest in peace.
For the honor Of humanity IL is TO be
hoped that few men exist who would write
such an article and fewer papers that would
print 1t. Birmingham, Ala, town built
up to what 1t is by northern capital with
every one In 1t continually asking for fur
ther investments by northern men, has the
man who writes and the paper which prints
this attack upon a dead man whom the
north delighted TO honor. The town should